Lisbon travel info

At eight in the morning, the first sound in Alfama isn't sardines on the grill but someone shaking out laundry. There are flowerpots on every sill, and below them the yellow number 28 tram rattles past close enough to touch the walls. Climb to any viewpoint and the orange roofs tumble downhill in steps until they hit the Tagus, a river so wide it reads as sea.

They say seven hills; your legs will count more. The Baixa, rebuilt as a flat grid after the 1755 earthquake, is easy going, but step a block outside it and everything goes uphill, over pavements of black-and-white stone polished slippery by centuries of shoes. When your calves start to complain, a warm pastel de nata and an espresso from the corner bakery will put you back on your feet.

The airport sits a short metro ride from the centre. For a Western European capital, prices are kind, so seafood and wine don't hurt. One thing has changed, though: since the Glória funicular crash in September 2025, the old hill funiculars and the Santa Justa lift have been out of service, so don't plan your day around an old guidebook.

Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS)